[open] and you can tell the sun in his jealous sky..

[starryeyed_cass]

[OOC: Just to let everyone know, Cassie is backdated to the thirteenth. Everyone else is on the current date. :)]

On the thirteenth, it is Cassie Riddle’s twenty-third birthday. In the early morning, she is up on the roof of Kashtta, playing guitar. She’s singing a pretty little folk song she was fond of from back home to the skies of the

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[i_robert_capa]

Capa continues to look down awkwardly, still rubbing at the back of his neck with one hand. He's still clearly embarrassed by her compliments; he polite enough to thank her for them, even though he still doesn't think himself as a hero. "Ahh.. the pen is mightier than the sword?" he comments with a nod of his head, looking up her for a moment before his eyes return to the table.

He nods again, "But yes. To think is better than to act out - violence will only cause more tension and we won't get anywhere," He needs to be calm and collected in order to get answers.

Capa straightens up, finally looking at her instead of the table. "But of course, sure," she says, gesturing to the seat. He tilts his head to one side with a slight smile, "Perhaps that's exactly the case. The genes passed down through the generations have suddenly been triggered by the rift. Perhaps they've been dormant genes - but the rift has made your body and mind feel as if they should be dominant,"

It's only a theory, he's not an expert in genetics. Biology may have been something he'd look at the academy, although it was brief. Physics are his forte. Capa pauses for a moment as he listens, a little embarrassed for a moment. He doesn't want to make this conversation any more awkward. "Maybe it's something to do with your perception of the world around you. How you see things. Some sort of psychological change. That the rift has made you see and feel things in a different manner compared to what you once were in your home world,"

[sophicsulphur]

She sits herself down without further preamble, taking in his words. What he's saying is so fascinating, and makes a lot of sense. In fact, it makes more sense than any theory she's heard thus far. Not that she knows what a dormant gene or a dominant gene is, but she gets the general idea. Besides, she's heard the words genome and genetics tossed around enough in reference to species that she's caught onto the idea that the two are related. The same way genealogy, apparently, means a family tree. What you get from your parents; the reason you look like them, and not like anyone else. It makes sense.

Still, it's always good to double-check your terms. "So what you're saying is... sorry, I don't really have a good grasp on how it works," she admits. "But the stuff passed down through the generations. Way back in your bloodline. I've heard of it coming alive many generations after the fact... like a throwback. I guess that's what I figured I was. But you're saying the Rift maybe wakes it up?" She nods. "That makes a whole ton of sense. I mean, I think this has always been there, but... I didn't feel it so strongly before, you know?"

The excitement's showing through in her voice, now. Finally, a real working theory of how she got this way, and all the pieces seem to fit! It's a vast improvement on the usual state of things here in Chicago: confusing event after confusing event, adding only more layers of dissonance to the pile.

Glad that something actually makes sense in this mess of a city, she skips right over the embarrassment this time. "But yeah. I do see things a lot differently. I guess you can't not... nothing feels or works the same here. From the way people act, and what they believe is right or wrong, to the magic, even the very structure of the land... it's all so different. I can't predict anything, and... it's like I'm constantly rethinking stuff." She grins a little. "I don't think my mind had to be changed for that to be true. This world does it to you alone. Though it does explain some things."

A little frown creeps in, to replace that grin. If his theory is true, how much of her might have changed without her even have knowing it? Can she really consider herself the same person, now. --But then, she supposes she did die. It's not surprising that she'd be changed, after that event. Perhaps she should add that to his pool of information. "Oh, one thing I just thought of. When I came here, I was dead. --I mean, I came here from the afterlife. So it's kind of like I was reborn, in a way. I guess if stuff in me has changed, it could also be due to that."

[i_robert_capa]

Capa smiles apologetically and nods, he needs to remember that not everyone understands his science babble. While he's not trying to insult the girl's intelligence - genetics is not a subject he'd use in everyday conversation. "Yes, that's exactly what the case may be with you. The rift's awoken something deep inside, something you thought may have been there but couldn't put your finger on. Something which could have remained tucked away inside of you had you remained in your homeworld. The energy of the rift must have brought it to the surface. That's perhaps why you feel this way now,"

He smiles meekly, he's happy for her excitement over his theory. He's glad his thoughts have given the young girl some clarity. He too knows of the chaos of this world and the importance of what little order there is here.

Capa nods, "Hmm.. that's true," he considers, "If you've come from a place where everything you see is a huge contrast compared to here, then perhaps you might naturally perceive things differently," He makes an awkward face, trying to smile, "But yes, which one is it? The rift? Or you?" He shrugs, unsure.

He straightens up as she talks about being from the afterlife. Now that is definitely something that's going to interest him, or perhaps, annoy him. Since.. since everything. Pinbacker's beliefs. He'd lost his own faith. While he'd always once been open to the concepts of religion, he was never a devout follower. But now, there's nothing. He finds no comfort in the thought God or prayer.

When Pinbacker asked 'Who are we to challenge God's plan?' Capa had thought: "No. Who is to say when we must come to an end and die? We are more than dust. So much more."

He's silent for a while as he thinks on this, and when he speaks once more - his voice is quiet and cynical. "There's an afterlife?" He doesn't mean to sound so nasty about it, but it's a touchy subject for him. He can feel his skin about his hands and arms tingle and grow hot in frustration, "Surely not,"

[sophicsulphur]

She grins at his words, practically glowing with energy. Something deep inside, brought to the surface. The thought is nothing less than enchanting. This is really me. She's pretty sure of that right now, but it never hurts to have it confirmed. Especially given all those who doubt.

The Rift or her, indeed? She shrugs right back, smiling. It's hard to be sure. One thing she is pretty sure of, however, is that she's experienced the afterlife. When you exist in a place that's realer than reality, it's kind of a hard thing to doubt.

She's always thought faith was an odd sort of concept, in general. She's interacted with gods and afterlives, up close and personal. To treat them as a matter of faith would be like having faith in rain, or faith that your friends exist. Technically, she supposes, the idea that anything exists is something you have to take on faith, but the chance that it's all just an illusion seems so miniscule as to be absurd.

So when she speaks, it's with perfect confidence and bland casuality, as if she were describing the park down the street. "Yeah, there's an afterlife," she says. "It's really nice. Most people think that sort of thing is scary-- death and stuff, you know. But it's the most amazing thing. I'd go back there in a heartbeat, if I didn't feel like I had stuff to do."

She contemplates for a moment, amending her statement. "Though I guess not everyone goes there straight away. Some people hang on as ghosts. I had a friend who was a ghost. She hadn't had a brain for centuries, so she was a little...." She makes an apologetic sort of grimace, making a wavelike motion with her hand. "You know. But I think that probably only happens when you don't get all the stuff you want to done in life. Or something like that, anyway." She doesn't actually know that much about ghosts. Other than that, in her experience, they're friendly, vapid, and far too obsessed with interior decorating.

[i_robert_capa]

Capa just stares at her, as calmly as he can, his jaw set. This girl might claim that there is some sort of afterlife, but he just refuses to believe that. His own bitterness has made him stubborn in the last year. The brutality he witnessed, everything. He sees that life is all people have, this is when we should press on, do all we can - aspire to be more. Because that is all there is. He believes that at the end, there is nothing. It's a difficult thing to explain, even in his own head.

He feels a flick of flames shoot up his hands. He sighs, frustrated, before pausing for a moment to calm himself again. He's letting his own thoughts and feeling get in the way again. He mustn't do that. He shakes his head, finally speaking.

“I.. uh, I’m not afraid of death,” he almost scoffs, “I was mere seconds away from it before I ended up here. I had long accepted that I would die to save a great deal of people, I dreamed of being consumed by solar fire every time I slept,” He closes his eyes, shaking his head once more, “No, I’m not afraid,”

It's only now that he allows himself to smile a little, "It's nice you have that belief though, that sort of... calm, knowing," he says quietly, "Once that goes, you'll never get it back," It sounds pessimistic, but it's how he really feels. He'll never get his own faith, his peace, back.

For the love of science, Capa. Be nice. It's not the girl's fault that you don't agree with her beliefs, he thoughts on... yes, well. Just be nice. Very hesitantly, he offers her a slightly warmer than usual hand to shake, "I'm Robert... by the way,"

[sophicsulphur]

She startles a little at the rush of flame. "...Whoa there," she says, holding up her own hands and letting out a tiny, nervous laugh. "I was just saying."

It's a joke: she doesn't think he's really mad at her. But as the conversation continues, she finds herself becoming unsure whether he was or not. It seems a strange thing to be mad about. But then, she's known people in her world and this to get prickly about all sorts of spiritual topics. She finds it unfortunate. Why can't people just accept the evidence in front of their eyes?

"I... doubt I'll lose my belief," she says, a quizzical smile flitting over her lips. "I'd be foolish not to believe in something that I can see. It'd be like not believing in rain. Or bagels." ...Great, and now she's hungry. Well, she is in the cafeteria, she supposes. Maybe she could duck out for a moment and pick up some food.

"Iris. Iris Fortner." She shakes his hand, as seems to be the custom around here, and offers a light bow, as is hers. "--Hey, mind if I just run to get something to eat? I'm a touch hungry, I just realised."

[i_robert_capa]

Capa looks down and shakes his head, sighing heavily. "No, it's not... it's fine," he says awkwardly. Great, now he's gone and spooked her. Why can't he just have a conversation with someone. Why is this so difficult? "Sorry," The word is strained and awkward, but sincere. He rubs at his arms and hands, wiping the flicks of fire away.

It's not because he's mad at her. He might feel a little annoyed, but really it's just because he's frustrated and tired. He can't remember the last time he slept. He's in control of his powers, but they have a tendency to spark up a little when he's not in control of himself.

He nods his head briskly, "Good, that's good," he says quietly and falls into another awkward silence. As he shakes her hand, he tries his best to smile warmly, "Nice to meet you, Iris," he says, nodding his head at her bow.

"No, go ahead," he says with another nod of his head. Good, he can give himself another scolding in his head while she does.